Metallic rail-tie and rail-fastening.



'T. M. LAVELLE. METLLIG RAILTIB AND RAIL FASTENING.

APPLIoAIoN FILED 00117, 1907. Patented Dec.v8, 1908.

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4T.- M. LAVELLE METALLIG RAIL TIE AND RAIL IASTENIITG.v

Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

l APPLIOATION FILED 00T. 17, 1007. 906,242.

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` WITN ESSES T. M. L AVLLE. METALLIC RAIL TIB AND RAIL I'ASTBNING.

APPLICATION FILED o'r.11,-1907.

' Patented'-Dec.8,1908. I

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THOMAS M. LAVELLE, OF AMBRIDGE, PENNSYLVANIA.

METALLIC RAIL-TIE AND RAIL-FASTENIN G.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led October 17, 1907.

Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

Serial No. 397,874.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS M. LAvELLE, of Ambridge, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Metallic Rail-Tie and Rail-Fastening, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view showing a rail tie and fastening embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line II-II of Fig. 1 Fig. 3 is a side view of the tie with the rails removed; Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the line IV-IV of Fig. l, Fig. 5 is a section on the line V-V of Fig. 1; and Fig. 6 is a detail view hereinafter referred to, Fig. 7 is a plan view Fig. 8 a sectional elevation, and Fig. 9 a section on the line 9--9'of Fig. 8, these three views showing a modification.

My invention has relation to the class of metallic rail ties and fastenings therefor, and is designed to provide a metallic tie which will possessa maximum strength with the use of a minimum amount of metal; to provide means whereby the tie itself will ldirectly receive the thrusts on the rails, thus relieving the fastenings of shearing strains; to provide fastenings of sim le and secure character which can be readi y applied; and to provide a rail tie and fastening, the parts of which can be readily insulated.

A further object is to provide a tie fastening which will possess a certain degree of elasticity, and in which the wear on the parts will be automatically compensated for without loosening the fastenings.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will hereinafter appear.

The precise nature of my invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which I have shown the preferred embodiment thereof, and which will now be described, it being premised, however, that various changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

In these drawings, the numeral 2 designates the metallic tie, which is preferably of general I-beam form in cross-section, with its web lying horizontally and its lower depending iianges 3 somewhat separated or spread, as shown in Fig. 4, to secure a better bonding effect in the track. The web of the tie may be buckled or pressed downwardly at the ends as shown at 4 in Fig. 2 to form resisting means to prevent endwise movement or creeping of the tie.

5 designate track rails, which are seated upon cushion blocks 6, these blocks being seated upon the web of the tie between the vertically extending flanges thereof. These ianges are notched or cut away as shown at 7 to receive the rails, and the cushion blocks 6 are of such thickness as to support the base of the rail considerably above the bottom walls of these notches or cut portions, so that the rails will be held entirely out of metallic contact with the tie and will be carried solely u on the blocks 6. These blocks are preferab y of wood, but may be of any other suitable material possessing some amount of elasticity. The side walls of the cut-away portions of the ianges of the tie will receive the entire lateral thrust of the rails.

Placed underneath the base of the rails upon the top of the Wooden block 6 are metallic wear or seat plates 8, two of these plates being provided at each tie for each of the rails. These plates are seated side by side, preferably in a depression in the cushion block 6, as shown in Fig. 4, and securely riveted to each plate is a clip 9. These clips which may be rolled shapes, engage opposite base anges of the rails in the manner clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5. These clips are riveted to the wear or seat plate, and the latter are then inserted underneath the rail base from opposite sides. Owing to the fact that the lateral thrusts of the rails are received directly by the ties in the manner above described, it will be seen that the rivets which secure the clips are relieved of shearing strains. The use of rivets in securing these clips prevents vany looseness due to the vertical or wave motion of the rails.

10 indicate cross bolts, which prevent spreading of the vertical flanges of the tie, and which extend through the clips 9 to hold the plates S and clips 9 in place. The holes 11'made in the vertical flange of the tie to for the reason that the slightest wear of the vcushion loosens the rail fastenings. In the present construction and arrangement this is avoided, inasmuch as it will be seen that the fastenings will remain in the same relation to the rail base, notwithstanding wear and the settling of the rails on the cushions` Owing to the fact that the rails are supported considerably above the notches, or the cutaway portions 7, as above described, prefer ably to the extent of about one-half an inch, a very considerable amount of wear may occur before the cushion blocks need be replaced. Vhen this does become necessary, the oid blocks may be removed and new ones inserted without removing the clips or requiring the removal of any bolts or other fastenings, this being eiiiected by simply raising the rails slightly with a track jaclrand knocking out the old blocks and driving in the new ones.

In case it is desired to insulate the rails from the ties, this may be readily effected, since the rails are supported on the wooden cushion blocks, and all that is required is to insulate the outer edges of the base flanges of the rails from the adjacent walls of the notches or the cutaway portions 7. This may be readily effected by means of insulators such as shown at 12. One of these in sulators is shown in detail in Fig. 6, and consists of an inner shoe 12 of insulating material with an outer protecting shoe 13 of metal. rl`hese shoes are secured to the ilanges of the tie by means of bolts or rivets 14, which are insulated from the metal of the tie by the insulating sleeves 15. The through-bolts 10 may also be insulated from the tie by the insulating sleeves or bushings 16.

The advantages of my invention result from the use of a metallic tie of the cross-section described, Which combines a maximum strength with a minimum amount of metal, the section being one which can be readily rolled and sheared into lengths; also from the provision of the cushion blocks and fastenings arranged to provide for automatic adjustment under wear without loosening of Y the rail fastenings, and to provide for their ready renewal when unduly worn. I do not, however, limit myself necessarily to the use of a tie of the particular cross-section shown and described, although this is preferred, as it is obvious that my improved method of fastening the rails is adaptable to ties of various other sections. Thus in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, I have shown the fastening applied to a tie of the usual vertical I-beam. In this form of my invention, 17 indicates the tie, 18 a cushion block seated on its top flange, and 19 the wear or seat plates which carry the clips 20.

21 designates U-shaped bolts which pass downwardly through the plates 19, the cushion block 18, and the top flange of the tie, being secured at their lower ends by the nuts 22.

23, designates insulating material.

' Many other modifications may be made.

I claim 1. A metallic rail tie of general I-beam form in cross-section, with its web extending horizontally and its lower flanges spread outwardly from each other, and its upper flanges cut away or notched to receive the rail bases together with means for supporting the rails upon but out of contact with the tie, and rail fastening means having transverse bolts which extend through slotted holes in the upper flanges of the tie, substantially as described.

2. In a metallic rail tie and fastening, a metal tie having vertical flanges notched or cut away to receive the bases of the rails, a cushion block seated between said flanges and supporting the rail bases above the bottom walls of the notches or cut-away portions of said flanges, and rail fastenings seated on said block and capable of a limited vertical movement with the rail so as to remain in the same engaging relation to the rail base notwithstandin wear and the settling of the rails on the b ocks substantially as described.

3. In a metallic rail tie and fastening, a rail tie having vertical flanges formed with notched or cut-away portions, cushion blocks seated between said flanges, and a pair of wear or seating plates supported on each of said blocks and extending under the base of the rail from opposite sides thereof, each of said plates having a rail base engaging clip rigidly secured thereto and fastening means engaging the tie and securing said plates, said fastening means providing for a limited vertical movement of the plates and clips; substantially as described.

4. The combination with a metallic tie, of cushion blocks seated thereon, a pair of wear or seating plates supported on each of the blocks and extending under the rail bases from opposite sides thereof, a rail base engaging clip rigidly secured to each of said plates, and transverse bolts extending through said clips and into the tie substantially as described.

5. In a rail fastening, for metallic ties, the combination with a tie having vertical notched or cut-away flanges, of cushion blocks seated between said ilanges, wear or seating plates supported on said blocks and supporting the rails out of contact with the tie, rail base engaging clips rigidly secured to said plates, and bolts extending through said clips and into the llanges of the tie, the latter having slots to receive said bolts; substantially as described.

6. In a metallic rail tie fastening, a metallic tie, a cushion block supported thereby, a

pair of wear or seating plates supported on the block and extending under the rail base from opposite sides, and a rail base engaging clip riveted to each of said plates; substantially as described.

7. The combination with a metallic tie having vertical notched flanges, cushion blocks seated between said anges, a pair of wear or seating plates on each of the said blocks, means carried by said plates for holding the rails to their seats on said plates, and means for insulating the rails from the tie; substantially as described.

8. In a rail tie and fastening, a metallic tie having flanges, rail-supporting blocks seated between said flanges, wear or seating plates on the said blocks extending under the bases from opposite sides, and having clips secured y thereto, and means for securing said plates consisting of transverse bolts engaging the clips and the side anges of the tie 5 substantially as described.

9. In a rail tie and fastening, a metallic tie,

a non-metallic supporting-block thereon arranged to support the rail out of contact ywith the tie, a seating member between the rail base and the block, a down-holding clip secured to the seating member and engaging the rail base, and fastenings for securing the seating member to the tie, said fastenings having a limited vertical movement; substantially as described.

10. A rail fastening consisting of a clip formed from a rolled shape and having a lip arranged to engage the rail base, and a recess in its under side to engage a fastening bolt together with a member to which the clip is secured and which closes the said recess; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

T. M. LAVELLE.

Witnesses:

C. T. CLACK, THos. C. POWELL 

